


It’s Arya, she’s unpredictable.

by Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gendrya - Freeform, Post Season 8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 13:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19791832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya/pseuds/Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya
Summary: King Bran has sent a letter North urging his sister The Queen of the North and their exiled brother/cousin Jon Snow to meet him at their family home of Winterfell. Neither Northern sibling knows why, but could it be because of Arya? Or is Jon about to be pardoned?





	1. SANSA

“Did Bran tell you why he wanted me South of the Wall?” Jon asked his sister as they strolled arms linked through Winter Town.

  
“No, maybe he just wants to see you.” She responded.

  
Jon grunted.

  
“Maybe he’s going to pardon you? It’s been ten years.” She added.

  
“Maybe.” Jon murmured.

  
“It’s not like you couldn’t have come home any time in the past ten years Jon.” She said bluntly. “I pardoned you immediately after my coronation. And this is only the second time you’ve visited.”

  
“It just doesn’t feel like home without them Sans.” He responded softly.

  
“I’m not enough for you, am I?” She asked cocking her eyebrow.

  
“It’s not that. You know I love you too. But the place is so empty without her.” Jon said sadly.

  
“I know, I miss her too.” Sansa smiled sadly. “She hasn’t even written in four years.”

  
“Do you think she’ll ever return?” Jon winced.

  
“It’s Arya, she’s unpredictable.”

  
“Do you think Bran knows more about her than he’s been letting on?”

  
“Yes.” Sansa replied thoughtfully. “Most certainly, seeing as all he’s really said is that she’s fine, she’s on the sea. Or she’s fine, she’s on land. He sees all sorts, I know he knows more. I used to ask him questions about her constantly, but he’d always say _she’ll let us know what she wants us to know - it’s her business_.”

  
“You know Arya.” he sighed half frustrated. 

  
“Jon.” Sansa gasped pulling them to a stop in the middle of the market.

  
She was looking up at two children building a snowman in the town square. They were probably around 7-12 years old but it was hard to tell. The older one was a boy, he was tall and well built for a child. His hair was black as ink and his eyes were ice-blue. He was concentrating intently on the ball of snow he was placing for the snowman head. The girl, or Sansa thought she was a girl anyway, shoved him slightly.

  
“It’s not big enough stupid!” She heard the girl say. “The snowman will look stupid Rob.”

  
Sansa watched as the boy put the snowman’s head back to the ground, continuing to roll it to make it bigger. Sansa studied the smaller figure intently. Her head was shy of the boy’s chest, she wore breaches, but her cloak was a more feminine style. Sansa couldn’t see the girls face clearly, she had her hood pulled up over her hair, obscuring most of her face.

  
“Jon.” Sansa echoed more sure now.

  
Jon frowned at her, she nodded in the direction of the children.

  
“Do you know them?” Jon asked her.

  
She shook her head, they were not local children, not from Winter Town at least. Sansa took great pride in knowing her people. She visited the markets of Winter Town weekly, interacting with the small folk allowing them to see that their Queen was caring and friendly.

  
“No. But..” Sansa paused.

  
“Yeah.” Jon agreed.

  
“Come on.” Sansa tugged his arm lightly.

  
  
“That’s a nice snowman.” Sansa said approaching the children.

  
The two of them straightened up, the girl looked half bored under her hood, but the boys eyes widened slightly. Sansa watched him position himself in front of the girl and he bowed uncertainly. The girl grunted and stepped around him, hands on her hips. She looked fierce and sure.

  
“Who are you?” Sansa asked them lightly.

  
The girl shot the boy a sharp look. Neither of them spoke.

  
“Do you know who I am?” She asked softly.

  
“Sansa Stark. Queen of the North.” The girl said confidently.

  
“Good.” Sansa smiled at her. “You’re accent is not Northern. Where are you from?”

  
“We travel.” The boy answered.

  
His sister shot him a glare.

  
“Okay, where were you born? And remember, you should not lie to your Queen.” Sansa responded.

  
“Well, if we’re not Northern, you’re not our Queen.” The girl answered cockily.

  
“Lya-“ The boy began.

  
“Shut up stupid.” The girl shoved him, the boy stumbled a little but retained his footing.

  
“Naath and Braavos.” The boy replied at last.

  
Jon shot Sansa a look.

  
“Where are your parents?” Jon almost croaked.

  
The girl responded with a shrug.

  
“You have parents don’t you?” Sansa asked softly.

  
“Yes.” The girl responded.

  
Sansa smiled at her sweetly.

  
“Not very talkative are you?” Jon almost chuckled.

  
“Talking gets you in trouble.” The girl responded.

  
“I bet you get in lots of trouble, don’t you?” He asked with a sad smile.

  
The girl inclined her head, a small smile pulling at her lips. Her hood shifted backwards slightly. Sansa noted her dark brown locks pulled back from her face, her face was soft, but her eyes were sharp and her jaw hard. Something twinkled in her slate grey eyes.

  
“You wouldn’t lie to me now, would you?” Sansa said bending down to take a closer look at the girl.

  
“Father says not to lie.” The boy said.

  
“Mother says don’t talk if you’re not gonna tell the truth.” The girl cocked her eyebrow.

  
That’s it Sansa thought. That eyebrow..

  
“I’m going to hazard a guess to who you are, okay?” Sansa said softly.

  
The girl glanced up at her brother nervously, the boy reached for her hand. Sansa expected her to yank her hand away, but noted her grip his hand.

  
“Robert and Lyanna Baratheon I presume?” Sansa asked confidently.

  
She noted the children shift slightly.

The girl sighed dramatically.

  
“Lyanna Stark Baratheon actually.” She rolled her eyes.

  
Gods was this Arya’s daughter!

  
Jon snorted, Robert looked down at his feet half ashamed.

  
“Where is she?” Sansa asked softly.

  
Lyanna narrowed her eyes, but neither responded.

  
  
A small high laugh sounded from a few feet away. Sansa straightened herself to see someone approaching. The figure wore a one shouldered black cloak with a hood pulled up around her face.

  
“My Queen.” The woman bowed confidently.

  
“Lady Arya.” The Queen greeted.

  
Sansa watched her sister knock her hood back to show her features. She looked much like she did ten years ago, older and more tanned, but mischief still twinkled in her eyes.  
Sansa was shocked that her sister hadn’t berated her for calling her Lady maybe she’d matured some. She watched her look to Jon. Sansa then looked to Jon also, he was frozen, his lips parted as if words had escaped him. He frowned intently.

  
“Have the Wildlings taken your tongue brother?” Arya asked cockily.

  
“It’s really you?” He croaked, eyes threatening to fall from his eyes.

  
The left corner of Arya’s lips quipped into a smile, Jon launched himself forward taking Arya in his arms.

  
“Careful.” She chided.

  
“Little sister.” He sighed with a smile. Arya’s head nuzzled into his chest, Sansa smiled, it was just like before they left.

  
Once they parted, Sansa noticed Jon frown slightly at Arya, who held a finger up to her lips in reply.

  
“Sister, where is your husband?” Sansa asked.

  
“Husband?” Arya asked. “Who said I’m married?”

  
“Oh.” Sansa blushed. “Oh, sorry.. I just assumed.” she glanced at Robert and Lyanna.

  
“Don’t worry sweet sister,” Arya snorted, “Your niece and nephew are not bastards.”

  
Arya turned away from her siblings and took her children in hand, she began to walk away. Sansa glanced at Jon.

  
“Do we follow her?” Jon whispered.

  
“You’d better, wouldn’t want to lose me again, would you?” Arya tossed back over her shoulder.

  
“She hasn’t changed.” Sansa noted as they began following her.


	2. ARYA

“We never said nothing!” Lyanna said as she took her hand.

  
“I know you didn’t say anything.” Arya soothed her daughter. “I was watching you both the whole time.”

  
Arya glanced over her shoulder, Jon and Sansa weren’t following them.

  
“Do we follow her?” she heard Jon whisper to Sansa.

  
“You’d better, wouldn’t want to lose me again, would you?” Arya quipped looking over her shoulder.

  
“Run ahead to your father.” Arya turned to her son, she’d dropped his hand and gently caressed his cheek before he left. She glanced at him briefly, he was already her height at just ten years old, but his looks were all his father’s.

  
“Yes mama.” Robert responded before taking off towards the inn they were staying at.

  
“You should be more polite, Lyanna.” Arya wrapped an arm around her daughters shoulder.

  
“I can be honest or I can be polite.” The girl quipped.

  
“Some days I wonder if the ghost of Lyanna Mormont inhabits your body girl.”

  
“No Arya, that girl is all you.” Sansa said from behind.

  
Arya glanced at her daughter and smiled. She knew this, she knew that her tiny baby girl was every bit as rebellious, caring, cautious and stubborn as she was. Arya bent her head slightly a laid a soft kiss on top of her daughters head.

  
“It’s odd seeing her soft.” Jon murmured to Sansa not intending Arya to hear.

  
“A water dancer sees with all senses Jon.” Arya responded nonchalantly.

  
They reached the Inn, Arya had the biggest rooms in all the inns in town. It was a three chambered room with its own entrance. Arya opened the door ushering her siblings and her daughter inside. The first room was empty, a fire in the hearth and an empty table with 8 chairs, there were two beds pushed up against the walls. Lyanna tore her cloak off allowing it to drop to the floor, Arya sighed bending down to pick the cloak up resting a hand on the small of her back as she straightened back up.

  
“Through here, your Grace’s.” Arya joked holding a door open.

  
“Rawr! You can’t take me down! Rawr!!!” Arya heard Gendry laughing.

  
“Daddy!!!” A small voice squealed. “Bulls don’t roar!”

  
“Well what noises do they make clever clogs?” Gendry roared with laughter.

  
Arya stepped through the doorway, noticing both of her siblings taking the scene in.

  
Lyanna sat on a chair holding a small wooden wolf toy and Robert had gone over to add wood to the fireplace. Gendry was half crouched over in the middle of the room with a small boy on his back and an even smaller boy clinging to his leg.

  
Arya watched the small boy frown, stumped by his father’s question. His blue eyes searched the room looking for an answer. His eyes widened as they took in her sister. The boy immediately leapt to his feet.

  
“My Queen.” He bowed softly to her sister.

  
Sansa smiled at the boy sweetly and turned to her sister with an eyebrow lifted inviting an explanation.

  
Arya removed her cloak dropping it onto a chair, she bent down to pick the smallest child up into her arms and gently rested her other hand on her swollen stomach that had been hidden below her cloak.

  
“You know Robert, Lyanna and Gendry.” Arya said matter of factly motioning to them.

  
“This," she said resting a hand on the little boys shoulder, “is Eddard. And dear,” she glanced down at him, “Bulls grunt and snort.” She raised her eyes to her husband who blushed ever so slightly and shook his head in disbelief.

  
“Is Sandor still at Winterfell?” Arya asked lightly returning her eyes to her sister.

  
She felt the babe in her arms shift, and watched her sister stiffen slightly.

  
“You didn’t finish the introductions.” Sansa nodded to the smallest boy.

  
Arya smiled sweetly at her sister.

  
“Oh.” Sansa blushed.

  
“Shit, he’s going to be mad.” Jon laughed.

  
“Yeah,” Gendry responded, “I warned her that. Told her it’s me he’ll kill for it too.”

  
Arya watched as Gendry bound across the room to Jon, wrapping his arms around his old friend.

  
“It’s good to see you again mate.” Jon said into her husbands shoulder.

  
“You too.” Gendry grinned back.


	3. SANSA

“Please tell Sandor I wish to see him in my chambers please Ty.” Sansa said to a passing squire.

  
“Yes my Queen.” The young boy bowed and took off.

  
“Please, take a seat.” Sansa motioned to Arya’s family.

  
Arya sank onto a sofa pulling the smallest child down onto her lap. The boy’s hair was very short, not yet grown in fully but it was already the same colour as his father and older brothers. All three boys were definitely Baratheons with the bright blue eyes and ink-black hair. Sansa watched as the boy snuggled into his mothers chest, and she smiled softly when she noticed her younger sister wrap her arm protectively around her babe. Next her eyes traveled to Eddard. His looks were his fathers, but Sansa could see her own father - the boys namesake - in the boy. He was quiet, but Sansa thought he wasn’t like to be shy, he looked at things curiously as though he was weighing up the merits of things.

  
“Eddard?” Sansa said his name slowly, remembering her father. “Do you like to read?” She’d noted the boy looking at a book case a few times.

  
“Yes My Queen.” He answered respectfully.

  
“Yeah, we found that one, fished him outta the sea.” Arya said softly rubbing the back of the babes head. Sansa shot her sister a look, but her gaze softened when she saw the babes mouth latched on to her sisters breast.

  
“Let’s find you a book.” Sansa said reaching out to take the boys hand.

  
The boy smiled sweetly up at her taking her hand.

  
“And you can call me Aunt Sansa my sweetling.” She smoothed his thick black locks flat.

  
Sansa found the boy a book and returned to a sofa, patting the seat next to her for Eddard to take. The young boy sat down, his short legs swinging off the edge of the sofa and he opened the book up.

  
Sansa peered up to where Gendry was stood behind Arya, his hand resting lightly on one shoulder, gazing down at her. Sansa could see the love the man held for her sister. She hadn’t known they even knew one another before Arya left Westeross. It was only after when Bran told them that the Lord of Storms End had rejected his ancestral seat and had left Westeross aboard a ship that Sansa had connected the dots. She thought back to the new weapon Arya had fought with during the Long Night, and the many hours her sister had vanished during the time before the battle. It all made sense.. and yet Sansa had more questions than she could even remember. The look Gendry was giving her sister was returned with the same intensity. None of this was something that Sansa would have associated with her sister. Arya was tough and awkward, she’s outwardly never shown any interest in men, she’d insisted she didn’t want to marry as a child, whereas it had always been Sansa’s dream to marry and have children. And now they were here, her sister at 29 married with four children and a fifth on the way. Sansa at 31 was unmarried and childless. Sansa was overjoyed that her sister had found happiness. The two elder children flanked their father, both unsure of what to do. It was as though they were completely unused to this sort of place, they probably were.

  
The door burst open dramatically, Sansa looked up from the book little Eddard was reading to her.

  
“My Queen, I came as-“ Sandor Clegane began before noticing they were not alone.

  
The large man walked further into the room, eyeing the company warily.

  
“What’s this?” He grunted yet to see the faces of any of her guests bar little Eddard’s.

  
“Someone to see you.” Sansa responded gently.

  
Arya stood up handing the babe over to Gendry, Sansa noticed her motion towards her daughter.

  
The young girl came around to the where her aunt was sat and paused, looking right up at Sandor Clegane.

  
“You’re not that scary.” The girl raised a single eyebrow.

  
“Fucking she wolf.” The man hissed turning away from the girl landing on her mother instead.

  
The two of them stared at each other for a moments, their glares hard and cold.

  
“That,” he pointed a thumb at Lyanna, “is creepy as fuck.”

  
“That is my daughter, do not refer to her as such.” Arya growled.

  
“Whatever you say she wolf. Bet she’s ever bit the wolf as you.” Sandor’s gaze softened slightly. “Looks exactly like you when we first met.”

  
Sandors eyes ran over the rest of Arya’s children.

  
“Shame the rest of them look like Lord Stupid over there.” Sandor grunted.

  
“Oi fuck face! Don’t talk about my dad like that!” Lyanna roared.

  
“Lyanna!” Arya and Gendry both scolded their daughter.

  
Sansa watched as the girl made her way to her fathers side. Gendry wrapped an arm around her and bent down to kiss the top of her head.

  
“Thank you Lya, but language.” Gendry laughed gently.

  
Sansa studied the man. She wasn’t sure how a man of that size could really do anything gently, but the size difference between him and her sister let her know that he could be and was gentle. His arms were as thick as tree trunks and his chest was large with muscles, Sansa knew he’d been a blacksmith as a young man he still had the body of a blacksmith even now. The man had to be in his mid 30s now but Sansa could still see the young man he’d been back at Winterfell when he was forging the weapons for the Long Night.

  
“How old’s that one then?” Sandor inclined his head at Robert.

  
“Take the Long Night and add 9 months.” Arya said casually, “But you knew that didn’t you?”

  
Sandor shrugged in response.

  
“Yer, well why’d yer think I stopped you killing yerself back in Kings Landing, huh.” he responded gruffly.

  
“Sandor.” Arya said softly, the babe in Gendry’s hand squirmed, Arya smiled at him taking him from her husband before returning her gaze to the big man. “Thank you.”

  
Sandor grunted placing a hand on the back of her head, just like he did back on the day they’d last been together.

  
Sansa noticed her sister give the man an odd look.

  
“You didn’t, did you?” Sandor said gruffly, gently pushing Arya’s shoulder. “You fucking cunt.”

  
Arya cocked her head at him.

  
“Do you want to hold him?” She asked with a smirk.

  
“He doesn’t bite.” Lyanna shrugged.

  
Sandor glared at her.

  
“Much.” Robert added rubbing his arm.

  
Sandor grunted in the oldest boys direction, but held his arms out.

  
“What if I drop it?” Sandor said almost softly.

  
Sansa frowned, she’d never heard him speak that way to anyone but her.

  
“Sit Sandor, it’s easier.” Sansa responded gently.

  
“Come here Eddard,” she patted her lap and the boy moved onto her lap. “Sit.” Sansa ordered him patting the vacated spot next to her.


	4. ARYA

Arya sunk back down to sit, this babe was playing havoc with her back in a way her other four hadn’t, standing too long was starting to be a nuisance and she still had three moons to go. Gendry sunk down beside her and placed an arm around her shoulder. Robert knelt on the floor with his head against his mothers knees and Lyanna climbed onto her fathers lap. Arya ran her fingers through Roberts hair and allowed her eyes to land on her sister. She smiled softly watching her sister sitting with Sandor Clegane and her youngest two children. Arya noticed the looks Sansa was giving The Hound. Arya smirked at her, Sansa lifted her head slightly and shook her head back at her sister. Arya shot her a look to say, we need to talk later.

  
“Bran’s here.” Jon shot into the room.

  
“You’re a Page now brother?” Arya quipped.

  
“Funny girl.” Jon shot back.

  
Arya snorted, she was not a girl any more. Despite the fact she’d left Winterfell as a 19 year old young woman and returned as a 29 year old mother of four and a wife, she still felt as though her siblings were treating her like she was 9 years old once more.

  
The door to the room opened once more and Bran was wheeled in by Podrick Payne with Ser Lady Brienne following behind.

  
“Don’t rise. Save the formalities for the others.” Bran said coolly.

  
Arya was the only one save the two Sandors who made no move to rise for the King of the Six Kingdoms.

  
“It’s good to.. finally.. meet your family Arya.” Bran said thoughtfully.

  
Arya snorted, understanding that Bran unlike everyone else had known that Gendry had left on her ship, that they had married and had four children whilst travelling.

  
“Thank you Bran.” She said, internally adding for not telling everyone my business.

  
  
“Arya, are you staying?” Sansa asked later that evening when it was just the two of them.

  
Arya rubbed her swollen stomach.

  
“For a while.” She responded.

  
“If you leave again, could you send more Raven’s?” Sansa laughed.

  
“It’s hard to send Raven’s where I’ve been.” She raised an eyebrow.

  
“Where have you been?” Sansa asked curiously.

  
Arya sighed thinking of how to explain where she’d been.

  
“West of Westeross.” She shrugged eventually.

  
Sansa frowned.

  
“It’ll take a while to explain, it’s been 10 years. We’ll all sit down and I can explain it.” Arya replied.

  
“Okay.” Sansa said softly.

  
“Hey,” Arya said reaching for another lemon cake off a plate in front of her, “So are we going to talk about you and Sandor?”

  
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Sansa said softly reaching for 2 lemon cakes.

  
“Oi, I’m pregnant, they’re mine!” Arya teased.

  
Sansa shoved both cakes into her mouth and glared at her.

  
“That was not Lady-like.” Arya said in mock shock. “But there is something going on.”

  
Sansa shrugged.

  
“How long has he been here?” Arya asked softly.

  
“The past six years. No one saw him for three years after the burning, everyone thought he was dead. Then there were rumours of a big man helping rebuild in the Riverlands. I sent a Raven to our Dear Uncle, he had his men track him, told him the Queen in the North requested his presence.”

  
“What? He just dropped everything and came?” Arya asked.

  
“I guess.”

  
“Hm.”

  
“What?”

  
“Look, I don’t know if he told you about our time together? But I only ever saw him care and fight for himself. Eventually I realised that in his own way, he’d been fighting for me, protecting me. I’ve never seen him care for another person apart from me.. then you.” Arya said thoughtfully.

  
“Looked like he cared for your babe earlier.” Sansa replied.

  
“Don’t deflect Sansa.” Arya said sternly.

  
“I never saw any of Mother in you as a child, but today, I see her in you so much. You were always like father in every way. You were a Stark through and through, you looked like Father and Jon, everyone said you were Aunt Lyanna incarnate.”

  
Arya snorted.

  
“So strange isn’t it? You and Gendry falling in love..” Sansa added.

  
“What? Because his father, whom he never knew, was madly in love with our aunt?”

  
“Yes, that and the fact that everyone says you look so much like her, and Gendry so much like his father.”

  
“Can’t help who you fall in love with.” Arya shrugged.

  
“That’s true.” Sansa sighed.

  
“I can’t believe you named two of your children after them!” Sansa said after a pause.

  
“Actually, Robert is named after Robb.” Arya stated.

  
“Who was named after Robert Baratheon.” Sansa rolled her eyes.

  
“Details, details.” Arya laughed waving her hand.

  
“He came for you.” Arya whispered.

  
“I know.” Sansa whispered back.

  
“Sansa, it’s been six years? Do you not..”

  
“I- I don’t know. I think I love him?”

  
“Yeah?” Arya asked softly.

  
Sansa eyed her, as if expecting her sister to tease her or something. Arya lounged back on the sofa rubbing her stomach.

  
“Why don’t you do something about it?” Arya turned her face towards her sister.

  
“I’m scared.” Sansa blushed.

  
“Of?”

  
“Everything. Getting hurt.. people talking.. name it.” Sansa answered nervously.

  
“Sans, do you want me to stay here in the North?” Arya asked propping her upper body up.

  
“Yes.”

  
“Don’t be scared then. He’d never hurt you, like he’d never hurt me.”

  
“He’s saved my life so many times. Back in Kings Landing, Joffery would have killed me.. I would have been rapped.. I.. so many things, it was only Sandor Clegane who saved me. Of all the men who walked around pretending to be gallant knights, the only one who treated me justly at all times was The Hound. I know he’d never physically hurt me.. but what if he didn’t want me like I want him?” Sansa sounded small.

  
“I’ll find out.” Arya answered surely. “As for people talking, if I’m staying they can deal with me if they talk about you.”

  
Sansa chuckled.

  
“Sans, you and I have always been different. But you’re my big sister and I love you, I want to see you happy. And frankly, I want to see him happy! I didn’t see it that way until long after I was at sea, Sandor was my surrogate father for years. We travelled together, he saved my life, I saved his. I made mistakes, I left him for dead and robbed him once, but we moved passed that. I see the man under his hard exterior, just like you do. If Sandor Clegane makes you happy, I will fight for the two of you until my dying day.”

  
“I don’t doubt that.”


End file.
